Ameliorating Fibrosis in Murine and Human Tissues with END55, an Endostatin-Derived Fusion Protein Made in Plants.

ABSTRACT: Organ fibrosis, particularly of the lungs, causes significant morbidity and mortality. Effective treatments are needed to reduce the health burden. A fragment of the carboxyl-terminal end of collagen XVIII/endostatin reduces skin and lung fibrosis. This fragment was modified to facilitate its production in plants, which resulted in the recombinant fusion protein, END55. We found that expression of END55 had significant anti-fibrotic effects on the treatment and prevention of skin and lung fibrosis in a bleomycin mouse model. We validated these effects in a second mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis involving inducible, lung-targeted expression of transforming growth factor β1. END55 also exerted anti-fibrotic effects in human lung and skin tissues maintained in organ culture in which fibrosi

SUBMITTER: Mlakar L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9687961 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature